Carlo Pignatelli

Born: Latiano, Italy, 1944

Carlo Pignatelli started his training early.  At only 14 years old, Pignatelli started working in tailors around the country.

During the early sixties Pignatelli honed his skills becoming more familiar with the techniques and secrets used in men’s tailoring. In 1966 Pignatelli moved to Turin and carried on working in various studios increasing his skills.

In 1973, Pignatelli launched his eponymous label. With a small number of employees, he produced his first collection which paid particular attention to tailoring. The handmade collection debuted in Turin in 1980. The show featured a bride and groom on the runway with the emphasis on the groom. With the fabrics, colours and lines, Pignatelli  showed that wedding clothes did not have to revolve exclusively around the bride. This started a collection of haute couture for men for the first time.

In 1984, Pignatelli’s collections started selling across Italy. Almost ten years later, in 1993, Pignatelli showed his men’s collection in Milan. The success of the collection encouraged Pignatelli to adopt some industrial techniques to handmade clothing, which resulted in the Company offering custom-made clothing for celebrities and valued customers. 1993 also saw the Company open a flagship store in Matosinhos, Portugal.

In 1995, Japanese company Marubeni Corporation acquired the business and opened a first store in Tokyo. The same year Pignatelli introduced shoes, lingerie and  accessories and launched a couture bridal line.

1995 also marked the affiliation between Pignatelli and the Juventus football team, for whom designed the official kit. Pignatelli followed this up by designing for the Italian National Football team.

In 1996, the Company extended its international presence opening stores in Turin and Barcelona.

Pignatelli’s Company now has more than twenty collections including accessory and home ware lines. Renown for his craftsmanship and sartorial excellence, Carlo Pignatelli’s style of tailoring has also given him distinction. Revolutionising bridal and formal wear, his creativity makes him an icon in men’s attire.

The early 2000s witnessed the launch of Carlo Pignatelli Classico in 2000, Carlo Pignatelli Outside for Men, and Carlo Pignatelli Pret-à-Porter for Women in 2001.

The brand’s evolution also extended to children’s clothing with the introduction of Carlo Pignatelli Junior and Carlo Pignatelli Outside for Women. Carlo Pignatelli’s achievements include significant milestones such as the licence for wedding rings in 2006 and the Home Collection in 2007. The brand’s expansion into interior design was realised through a partnership with Asnaghi Interiors in 2008.

Carlo Pignatelli is renowned for his pioneering fusion of fashion and football. He designed official and ceremonial uniforms for various football teams, starting with Juventus in 1995, followed by collaborations with the Italian National Team, Olympique Marseille, Torino F.C., Watford F.C., Unione Sportiva Città di Palermo, and Roma. The distribution of Carlo Pignatelli’s creations spans across sixteen flagship boutiques, six showrooms, and approximately five hundred multi-brand points of sale across Europe, Asia, and Africa.

Carlo Pignatelli Biography